Editorial Ranking 2013: Nico Rosberg (3rd)
We now arrive at the final podium of the 2013 MotorsInside editorial ranking. And it's Nico Rosberg who takes the third step.
His statistics
6th in the championship
171 points
2 victories
4 podiums
0 best laps
Best qualifying: 1st (Bahrain, Spain, Monaco)
Best race: 1st (Monaco, Great Britain)
His season
Since his arrival in Formula 1, which dates back to 2006, it’s been known that Nico Rosberg is a good driver who deserves his place at the highest level. But despite strong performances, one question remained unanswered: how good is he? At Williams, he was never really faced with top-tier teammates, except with Webber in 2006. The Australian had actually finished ahead of him in the championship.
Arriving at Mercedes alongside Schumacher, it was thought that we could get an idea of the young German’s talent. At the end of the three years of cohabitation, the German duel turned in favor of Keke Rosberg’s son, but there were still skeptics who said that Schumacher was no longer what he used to be.
In 2013, however, there would no longer be any doubt. Facing Lewis Hamilton, we would finally see what Nico Rosberg was made of. If we look at the championship standings, Hamilton has the advantage (189 points against 171), but it’s clear that Rosberg more than held his own. After a season start fraught with mechanical problems and a team order in Malaysia, he emerged as the strongman of Mercedes by winning in Monaco and then in Silverstone—a race that could have been Hamilton’s. Throughout the season, the contest between the two men was tight: 8 to 11 in qualifying and 9 to 10 in races, in favor of the 2008 champion.
In 2013, Rosberg also showed that he was a solid driver capable of consistently bringing in points, not letting himself be discouraged by lesser performances from his car. While Lewis Hamilton had a great season as expected, Nico Rosberg emerged in 2013. So yes, Nico Rosberg is so fast that one might think Michael Schumacher’s return wasn’t so bad after all.
The editorial opinion: Romain Mathon also mentions the seven-time world champion when discussing Nico Rosberg’s season: « With a high-performing car, he showed that he was on par with Hamilton and proved that Schumacher might not have been so bad last year since, in fact, Rosberg is the one who is good. »
Yes, Rosberg is good, and this is what also struck Antoine Maricot this year: the time when Nico Rosberg was just a promising young driver, whose level was underestimated, is long gone. This year, “Nico” faced one of the best drivers of his generation. Far from being dominated, he signed two victories on two legendary circuits of the calendar: Monaco and Silverstone. Two prestigious victories also noted by Fabien Gaillard: two victories, including a prestigious, emotional, and well-deserved one in Monaco, Nico Rosberg is among the men of the season. While his legendary discretion sometimes remains astounding given how low his visibility is, he competed with Lewis Hamilton and showed consistency throughout the season.
Finally, Sarah Nuyens believes that the 2013 season was the best of her career. She added two more victories to her record, and despite a difficult mid-season end, she returned to the podiums after the summer break. The highlight was obviously her victory in Monaco, 30 years after her father.
The highlight of his season: As you might have guessed, it is undoubtedly his victory in Monaco that stands as the highlight of Nico Rosberg’s 2013 championship. Firstly, because Monaco is one of the jewels of the calendar, if not the most legendary, it was a home victory for the German, 30 years after his father, and also because there was a real sense of emotion at the finish. It added some depth to a driver who can sometimes seem too smooth.
Discover the other drivers in the editorial ranking:
